Auckland iwi Ngāti Whātua Orakei says it is geared up to assist its community throughout the extended lockdown.
File pic Photo: Facebook
For the last three months it has been increasing resourcing to help whānau in need and providing essential services including a GP practice.
Ngāti Whātua Orakei Whai Maia chief executive Rangimarie Hunia said the iwi has reopened its vaccination centre and Covid-19 testing station.
She said the hapū is prepared to assist whānau for a further six weeks.
"Ngāti Whātua Orakei is working really strongly with what I think is a pretty stunning Māori health network across Tamaki Makaurau.
"Already this morning we've got lines that are going out a couple of hundred metres of people that are wanting to be vaccinated... we'll be open everyday over the coming weeks and months.
She said she wanted to let all Māori families who would like to have their vaccination know that they would be supported.
The Covid-19 testing station has been set up at the Auckland netball courts.
Hunia said the hapū has had to mobilise its essential workforce to help the community.
She said the hapū will need the government to mobilise its resources quicker in the coming days.
She was aware of families who could not leave their homes for a number of reasons; there were babies who needed to be immunised and mothers who needed some support to be able to get access to kai and other things.
The most vulnerable like kaumatua and kuia also needed support.
Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua covers the upper north region of Auckland.
Chief operations officer Antony Thompson said the iwi response has been swift however, the lessons of past lockdowns have taught the hapū that there will be a continuing demand for help.
"We've been prepared for the Delta variant; we've invested more resourcing into our hauora, our social services and our tangata services to cope with the influx," he said.
"We're making sure that the bubbles are in place around our marae and our kura and there are key whānau in each bubble that takes a leadership role."
He said the iwi wants to see the same support from the government that has been offered in previous lockdowns - involving the ministries of Social Development, Māori development, Health and Education.
"It's that resourcing from the Crown that we are envisaging... to empower and give our iwi and hapū the ability to look after our whānau."
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